Let’s Be Kind To Our Businesses
 

I know that during these trying and uncertain times we are all using social media to rant and rave and report our experiences as we start to move around our community.

It seems to be obvious that [I]everyone[I] has an opinion about how we should be proceeding now and our business owners and managers are no different.

If you go to a place of business and they aren’t following what you think meets your individual standards you are free to leave and go elsewhere.

Let’s not come on here for the sole purpose of bashing and shaming them. Put yourself in their shoes and try to have a little compassion. We are going to need these businesses to be alive and thriving when we get through this.

Just my thoughts. Thanks.

i generally agree with you but if a business does not follow proper sanitation and can make us ill I sure would want to be aware of it.

If you could see all that goes on in a restaurant kitchen you wouldn't eat at most of them.

Probably true but if I know about them I can avoid them

It goes the other way around too. If you go to a business that is open, then as a customer you would want the company's employees to be safe. So it's on you to wear a mask to prevent YOUR germs (whatever kind they may be), from ending up all around their store. Especially if you need an employee's assistance for something, thereby engaging them in one of those "personal space" communications.

Risk reduction, risk reduction, risk reduction. Can't stress it enough. You can't eliminate or guarantee that germs won't spread. But you can reduce the risk with simple, mostly painless, often no-cost steps. Wash your hands, don't touch your face, wear a mask if you can't keep a 6' distance.

Sadly, employees of the companies people visit can't avoid their customers. No matter how well a store's staff handles their own prevention measures, they cannot be guaranteed that some foolish customer with an allergy doesn't walk in and sneeze an asymptomatic virus all over their products or their clothes of their sneeze-guard or the cash they hand over to the cashier.

Loved the OP's statement. Well said and true ,THEN , The bashers go In .....SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you. As you can see by the piddling numbers of people who have even bothered to read this post let alone respond, “we” here are much more interested in snarkiness and Ill will than kindness. It’s a sad state of affairs. ☹️

Naldo's on 466, every server wearing a mask. Bravo in Lake Sumter, no server or cook wearing a mask.

Naldo's please.

Welcome to TV. Pretty sad:(.

Poster has great comments. To this post, people who are snarky didn't get that way when they came to TV, they were like that before.

Carol I know you and I know you didn't mean to sound unfair. We can't forget we are in an unprecedented situation and people's lives are REALLY at risk. There are so many unfounded rumors and so much incorrect information floating about that everyone is tense and on edge and even worse, some are following some rather aggressive groups who are angered by their "loss of freedom". I see it as a medical emergency, with the facts not yet well researched and established, AND a terrible financial disaster as well, where peoples means to put food on their tables is being thwarted by the lack of customers who fear for their lives.

It's a mess and if people are a bit snarky, they have reason to be. No one wants to die, or lose someone to the virus and no one wants to see real people's businesses tank, or watch the worlds economy fail and witness the terrible disaster that would bring.

It is called being between a rock and a hard place.

Day 14, playing golf everyday, first week ate out 7 times. Week 2 ate out 1-2 times a day. Again more than I eat out in months. Since other half has gone into the Covid zone, I am doing everything I can to boost economy.

Week 2 still negative

It is nearly impossible to keep a 6 foot distance when a waiter/waitress is taking your order in a restaurant. I was not planning on wearing a mask once seated in a restaurant. The wait staff come and go while the patrons are eating and drinking. I just can not imagine having to place my mask on and off every time the wait staff comes to the table. Having said that, I do expect the wait staff to always wear a mask when serving patrons. I'm not protecting the wait staff but I expect them to protect me. It doesn't seem fair does it?

We agree, Carol.

Since Trump is gonna give us $2400 for sitting on our lanai, we are tipping much more than usual when we get take-out food at our favorite places, like Oakwood Express, Case Agave, Naples restaurant in Leesburg, and Piesanos. We had a great takeout crayfish roll from Edna's last evening and we will definitely be going back.

respect & courtesy are generally 2-way sts - add in 'life-threatening' as some are wont to do, i think it then becomes difficult for some to say -i should stay home !' & not risk MY life,,, then meld in self-absorption ( me - me - me ) & you wind up with ' i want it my way ' selfishness
as is any other, the strong will survive - the weak & stupid will leave behind a generally more intelligent population ( we trust )

Buisinesses
 

We will and have frequently use businesses now we seem to be in the drivers seat. We have had some issues with certain establishments which we will not bash we just never return to them.
The issue for us now is how we are treated their employees are treated along with protective measures for all. After quarantine for 45 plus days we have found some businesses will need us more than we need them.
Its not quantity its QUALITY.

You are spot on. I often wonder why people think they are a restaurant/retail critics, what credentials do they have? A bad experience one time does not indicate what they may provide on another day or time.

Olive Garden Sunday, curbside pickup was totally safe and food was very good at reasonable prices.
Still not going back to Jersey Mike until they make it safer.
Better safe than sorry or dead.

No one wants to die from the flu or pneumonia but they do. Covid19 is no different. We don't all rush out and mask up when flu season is rampant when thousands die from those two illnesses. I do mask up when in a store but it comes off immediately when I leave the establishment. I will patronize a store even though their employee is not masked as long as I keep my 6 ft. or more away from them.

This is why we are not planning on eating at restaurants right now. Would not feel relaxed and comfortable so we are sticking with takeout that we can reheat as necessary.

The OP makes a lot of sense

we are all living through something that we've never ever experienced before...
we're pioneers blazing a new trail (okay let's not all start wearing coonskin hats and 'packing' everywhere we go)

we were already a nation divided...this covid-19 virus is pushing some of us even further to the edge

common sense must prevail and guide our behavior

we are all in this together, so let's act like it

every life matters, we need to be respectful for others...we have no idea what they are
dealing with personally....the folks working in restaurants and retail need our help and our support....without them and those businesses life in TV would be pretty darn different...that said, do what you feel is safe for you

I keep humming that song "Be Happy, Don't Worry"....but sometimes Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a Changing" pops into my head....as long as "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" doesn't start playing in my head I guess I'll get through this

Thanks for these thoughts.

I notice that people in general are becoming a lot more self centered and a lot less understanding of others. A self centered attitude creates an unpleasant environment. Why carry hate & anger around? At our age people should be capable of looking outside themselves

We are neighbors in a community.

But could you be constructive & supportive about it?

My wife and I have been to Darrel's in SS several times since their re-opening. She went to pay and had a gift card to use. I told her to put it away and use cash, as most business' need time to get back on their feet. Wait a month or two before using the gift card.
BTW....Darrel's has absolutely the best bacon I have ever tasted.

People can be kind and afraid at the same time. Opinions can be stated respectfully. There is no reason to be snarky, there is no reason to spread the negativity to others through social media.

Yum, is their bacon crispy?

After a bad experience at a restaurant, most of us never go back.

Over four years ago my wife got pretty sick and prayed to the porcelain god after having a dinner at Lake Sumter Landing and we have never even considered going back.

Smart Business
 

Although Naldo's employees wear masks they might not want to or even believe they have any effect. But the bottom line is they make customers, who think masks work, feel more comfortable. Smart business owner. Bravo, on the other hand, apparently doesn't care about the people who are, rightly or wrongly, concerned that the lack of masks are a danger. It bothers me when a business outwardly shows a lack of concern for a segment of the population especially when "acting" as though you care doesn't really cost you anything.

Amen... even before the pandemic The Villages was struggling to find help. They were advertising it all the surrounding counties miles away. Be kind ... choose your battles... don't sweat the small stuff.

Life is a 2 Way Street
 

I like your compassion, however, (yes I said however) you only pointed out one side. Business owners and managers are in fact different than the customers they service. If I business does not meet my standards, which quite frankly are not that high, I go elsewhere. Put yourself in their shoes and try to have a little compassion. Actually that's a 2 way street. A smart owner/manager will try to put themselves in their customers' shoes. For instance, they should strategize and ask themselves, "what would make my customers feel comfortable and want to patronize my business?" "Let's see, there's a bunch of idiot customers that believe masks would help protect them from a killer virus. What idiots. However, if my staff wears masks those idiots might feel more protected and comfortable. It's a simple solution and it might make them feel comfortable enough to come here!" "Nah, I'd rather show them I think they're idiots and I'm not going to do something stupid like investing in a $1 mask. I'm not going to show them any compassion, so, they can and should go elsewhere!" A little smarts can go a long way. When your livelihood depends on serving the public go out of your way to please that public (whether deep down inside you want to or not) and you'll stand a better chance of being successful. So bottom line (I know finally), show me compassion and I'll return the favor by sharing with you my hard earned cash.

Well said. They are all doing the best they can and trying to survive. Thanks.:clap2:

I totally agree with the original post. We have to understand that we have all been impacted by our current way of life. Working in a mask all day is certainly different from wearing one for a short period of time. Cooking and serving in one isn’t the same experience and I would expect things not to run exactly smoothly. However, when I went to Urgent Care yesterday and was escorted into a room by the receptionist with her mask dangling from one ear and not covering her face, I spoke up. She said she had one on. Now picture her, literally with the elastic loop hanging from one ear and not attached to the other, her face not covered I asked her to put it on and she told me she was wearing it! Now that is something I consider to be inexcusable. I can put up with my meal not being perfect, I can’t put up with someone in a medical facility not wearing a mask.

Sorry to have to bring this to your attention BUT, when you say, "Carol I know you and I know you didn't mean to sound unfair", you are, by implication, saying that she is sounding unfair, which I can't fathom how you could glean that position from her post. Then, to state, "if people are a bit snarky, they have reason to be" is certainly not a stance that I would condone, especially in response to another poster's civil comments … just sayin' :icon_wink:

Fred

Anyone in business who makes their personal politics known is an idiot.

The Mask/Or No Mask choice has morphed into a political statement — individually intentional or not — that has been the insidious effect.

But, perhaps, in TV, there are business owners, and those in sales, who figure they can play the odds because TV has a national reputation of following the attitude of.....well.....you know.

911 was hell on earth — but, remember the feeling of being together as one nation. What happened. (rhetorical question though the answer is multifaceted)

I agree. At least one good thing comes from those who show their true colors though, that being it allows me to make a more informed choice on who I choose to do business with - so there is that.

:bigbow:

Kindness goes a long way! I heard one woman tell a small business owner (that was posted about in this forum) that she was going to "run them out of business" just because they did not agree with "her" interpretation of the guidelines. Why do people think it's ok to be rude to small businesses when they are struggling to survive?? 85% of small businesses did not receive money for the PPP.....and some owners are now working two jobs (running their business and another job) just to keep the doors open. And not one landlord has decreased the rent! I agree, if you don't like what you see, just leave. Why rant and rave on a social forum because someone didn't agree with you. It is so sad to see how people are treating small businesses. When big retail is all that's left....people will rant about that and forget they are the ones who ran small businesses out of existence. If you cannot be kind....be silent. :)

Darrel's has the best fluffiest omelettes I have ever had. I found out they put the eggs in a blender. That is something I would not do at home so Darrel's omelettes are a real threat for hubby and me.